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Giving poor people a chance
"All the poor anywhere need is a decent chance" - Professor Yunus.
Professor Yunus began the Grameen bank, the first microcredit bank in the world.
Imagine that you are a talented sewer; you make excellent quality outfits that sell for a high price at a local fashion store. You are very proud of your sewing skills and enjoy seeing other people wearing your merchandise. However there is one huge problem, you are extremely poor. The money you make sewing clothes barely covers the money you have borrowed to buy your sewing machine. You borrowed the money from the local loan shark who is charging you enormous interest. After paying him you are left with very little money to feed your family and often you go without so that they can have food.
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AIDS threatens small business in Africa
Money-lending institutions - which support some 16% of Kenya's population - are being threatened by the prevalence of HIV AIDS in the country. The Association of Micro-finance Institutions is looking at practical solutions to the problem including purchasing insurance to cover clients with the illness. All Africa
Sudan arrests 15 for human rights abuses
Sudan has arrested 15 members of the army, military and security forces in the Darfur region for human rights abuses including rape, killing and burning of villages. The move comes ahead of a UN Security Council vote which would see those responsible for war crimes sent to the International Criminal Court. ABC
Detention Centre protests a failure
Politicians from across the political spectrum say the Easter protests outside Baxter detention centre in South Australia shifted the focus away from the real political aim of changing government policy. The Australian
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Microcredit: Changing women's lives
Sandra is a 26-year-old mother of two who lives in a small town in Nicaragua who has never attended school or learned to read or write. She is now one of the 81 million people around the globe involved in microcredit who are experiencing an improvement in their lives. Inter Press Service
Where the rich stash their cash
An extraordinary amount of money is kept by the wealthy in offshore tax havens, depriving governments of hundreds of billions of dollars. Aid organisations are appalled that money that could be utilised for building infrastructure in the poorest nations is being hidden away. Guardian
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Survey: Australians think we are too influenced by the US
A survey of Australian attitudes to foreign policy provides a few surprises. These include more than two-thirds of people revealing their belief that Australia is too heavily influenced by the United States and preferring a free trade agreement with China over one with the US. ABC
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PALMS
If you've ever considered volunteering to work in an overseas community, the PALMS website offers an insight into what is involved. http://www.palms.org.au/
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Global Village
"Dance Against Poverty". In Cartagena, a shanty town in Colombia, where 60% of the population live in poverty, a dance school provides free lessons for underprivileged kids.
SBS TV - Monday April 11, 6pm |
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"There aren't two categories of people.
There aren't some that were born to have everything,
leaving the rest with nothing,
and a majority that has nothing
and cannot taste the happiness
that God has created for all."
Caritas (pdf)
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Caritas Australia pays tribute to a social justice Pope
A powerpoint presentation which captures the spirit of Pope John Paul II's appeal as a social justice Pope, through his most enduring quotes.
Caritas Australia pays tribute to Australian servicemen killed in Nias
Caritas Australia was deeply shocked and saddened to hear of the deaths of nine young service women and men who were killed in a helicopter crash while helping the victims and survivors of the Indonesian Earthquake on the island of Nias, Mr Jack de Groot, National Director of Caritas Australia said today.
Caritas in Aceh: A Carpenter's story
Two carpenters employed to work on Caritas Australia's Shelter Reconstruction Program have arrived in Aceh. Dave Hodgkin is keeping a diary of his experience there.
Resilience in Sri Lanka
A visit to the tsunami-affected areas of Sri Lanka reveals how people are coping and rebuilding their lives with the help of Caritas.
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Microcredit: Giving poor people a chance
